NORRISTOWN – A Philadelphia man allegedly made an illegal “straw purchase” of a gun for a Lower Merion man who then used the gun to kill a Plymouth police officer, having claimed he “wouldn’t go alive” and that he “would shoot a cop” if cornered.

Michael Joseph Henry, 30, of the 900 block of North 41st Street, Philadelphia, was arraigned Wednesday before District Court Judge Francis J. Bernhardt III on charges of sale or purchase of firearms and unsworn falsification to authorities in connection with alleged incidents that occurred between April and July 2012. Henry is being held in lieu of $1 million cash bail, awaiting an Oct. 16 preliminary hearing.

Henry, prosecutors alleged, made so-called “straw purchases” of nine firearms, seven pistols and two rifles, at gun stores in West Norriton and East Pikeland between April and July. Henry then illegally transferred the nine weapons, in exchange for $500 each, to Andrew Charles Thomas, 44, of Grasmere Road, Lower Merion, authorities alleged.

“We call this a ‘straw purchase,’ meaning someone who is legally allowed to purchase a firearm purchases one and then gives it illegally to someone who is not permitted to purchase that firearm,” explained Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.

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“He put nine guns into the hands of a felon and one of those guns was used to kill a police officer,” Ferman alleged. “We will go to court and ask our courts to do justice.”

Thomas, who was on probation for a 2005 forgery arrest in Upper Merion, was not permitted to possess firearms.

“Why he wanted the extensive arsenal we do not know,” said Ferman, adding however, Thomas allegedly made “troubling” comments to Henry at the time of the illegal transactions.

Henry, according to court papers, subsequently told investigators that he had discussed with Thomas the possibility of being stopped by police.

“During the conversation, Thomas said that, if he was stopped by the police, he would run and that he wasn’t going back to jail,” county Detective James Carbo alleged in the criminal complaint. “Andrew Thomas told Henry that he ‘wouldn’t go alive’ and that he ‘would shoot a cop.’”

On Sept. 13, Thomas used one of the firearms, a Beretta 9mm semiautomatic handgun, to fatally shoot Plymouth Police Officer Bradley Fox, a five-year veteran of the department, about 5:45 p.m. as Fox pursued Thomas on foot near the Schuylkill River Trail after Thomas fled from a hit-and-run crash on Conshohocken Road. Fox died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Thomas then turned his gun on himself and committed suicide, succumbing as a result of gunshot wounds to the chest, authorities said.

Fox, of New Hanover, is the first Plymouth officer ever to die in the line of duty. Fox, who was killed a day before his 35th birthday, is survived by his pregnant wife, Lynsay, and their daughter Kadence.

During the investigation, authorities determined the Beretta used by Thomas was purchased on May 30, 2012, and was registered to Henry.

Henry told detectives that he met Thomas in April and that he started to “straw purchase” firearms for Thomas shortly thereafter, according to the criminal complaint. Henry said that, in exchange for the purchase of a firearm, Thomas would pay him $500 cash in addition to providing him with the cash for the firearm purchase.

“Henry detailed the ‘straw purchase’ of nine firearms which were registered in his name and delivered directly to Andrew Thomas,” Carbo alleged in the arrest affidavit. “Henry told detectives that he was unaware of the current location of the firearms which he last saw in the custody of Andrew Thomas.”

While the Beretta was seized by authorities, the other eight weapons Henry allegedly transferred to Thomas have not been located. Ferman urged anyone who might know the location of those weapons to contact authorities immediately.

“There are eight other guns that are out on the street, that are somewhere out there, and they could get into the wrong hands,” Ferman said. “We learned through a number of investigations recently that (Thomas) had firearms in the past and he used to bury them in different places. So that’s one of the reasons we’re looking for the public’s help in trying to locate them right now.”

Authorities said six of the nine weapons, including a Colt .45-caliber ACP and a Remington 750 30-06 rifle, were purchased by Henry at In Site Firearms on West Main Street in West Norriton between April 19 and July 31.

Three of the nine weapons, including a Beretta 92FS 9mm pistol and a Fabrique Nationale 57 5.7X28 pistol, were allegedly purchased by Henry at French Creek Outfitters along Schuylkill Road in East Pikeland, Chester County, according to court papers.

For each purchase, Henry indicated on the application and record of sale that he purchased the firearm for himself and not for another individual, Carbo alleged. Henry purchased the items for Thomas, “making materially false statements” on the applications and records of sale issued by the Pennsylvania State Police.

Authorities said Henry is not a licensed firearms dealer.

Making “straw purchases” is a violation of firearms laws. Previously, second and subsequent violations of the law were punishable by a five-year mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction, according to officials. But that law was struck down based on how the law was written.

However, Ferman said a pending bill in the state Legislature would restore the five-year mandatory sentence. The bill passed in the House in April 2011 but has languished in the state Senate since then.

Ferman said she spoke recently with members of the Senate regarding the bill.

“I am hopeful, we are all hopeful, that they will move that bill forward so that we can restore the five-year mandatory minimum,” Ferman said. “It may not help us directly in this case but I think it sets the bar and it will tell our courts, give some guidance to our courts, about the kind of sentence that is appropriate for someone who is a repeat straw purchaser.”

While Henry won’t face any mandatory terms, if convicted of the nine felony counts of illegal sale or transfer of firearms, he could face a possible maximum sentence of 31 ˝ to 63 years in prison.